From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: from int-mx1.corp.redhat.com (int-mx1.corp.redhat.com [172.16.52.254]) by listman.redhat.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 542614011A for ; Thu, 3 Oct 2002 19:14:34 -0400 (EDT) Received: (from mail@localhost) by int-mx1.corp.redhat.com (8.11.6/8.11.6) id g93NEYU10238 for blinux-list@listman.redhat.com; Thu, 3 Oct 2002 19:14:34 -0400 Received: from mx1.redhat.com (mx1.redhat.com [172.16.48.31]) by int-mx1.corp.redhat.com (8.11.6/8.11.6) with SMTP id g93NEXf10231 for ; Thu, 3 Oct 2002 19:14:33 -0400 Received: from ns1.fayre.net (IDENT:root@adsl-66-126-160-122.dsl.snfc21.pacbell.net [66.126.160.122]) by mx1.redhat.com (8.11.6/8.11.6) with SMTP id g93MtT026656 for ; Thu, 3 Oct 2002 18:55:29 -0400 Received: from localhost (jfayre@localhost) by ns1.fayre.net (8.10.2/8.10.2) with ESMTP id g93MwwX08364 for ; Thu, 3 Oct 2002 15:58:58 -0700 Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 15:58:58 -0700 (PDT) From: Jason Fayre To: blinux-list@redhat.com Subject: RedHat and accessibility Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Loop: blinux-list@redhat.com Sender: blinux-list-admin@redhat.com Errors-To: blinux-list-admin@redhat.com X-BeenThere: blinux-list@redhat.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.1 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: blinux-list@redhat.com List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: Linux for blind general discussion List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: Hello Everyone, I have been a Linux user since 1993. I recently got my RHCE certification from RedHat. I agree that RedHat has put some effort into making Linux more accessible. However, I have a serious problem with the way RedHat handles accessibility issues with regards to their education devision. When the company I work for decided that our team needed to be RHCE certified, I had considerable trouble convincing RedHat to let me take the certification test. I am a braille display user and have been for years. RedHat would not permit me to use BRLTTY to take their certification exam. There reasoning was that by putting brltty on te testing system, I was "modifying the operating system" and therefore they were unable to certify me. After much discussion that went as high as one of their VPs, they did permit me to use a serial console to take the test. One of the "solutions" they proposed was that I take the test as a "dry run". If I passed it, they wouldn't certify me. Rather, they would make me take the test again once they had some accessibility features in the OS. Obviously, this was complete unacceptable. As I said earlier, they did let me take the test through a serial console, but this is most deffinately not my preferred wayh of doing things. The other major issue I have with RH is there complete unwillingness to provide electronic coppies of their courseware. The only reason I passed the RHCE test is that I have several years of Linux experience. They did let me have access to a server that had the electronic text on it while in the class. However, they would not let me take a copy of the docs home to study. This is eaven after I offered to sign an NDA against copying the material. They make you sign three non-disclosure agreements in order to take the certification test. I will shortly be taking another course from RedHat. There policy on documentation has not changed at all. Once again, they will not let me have equal access to the course documentation. I realize that I am ranting here, but I feel that this needs to be said. I won't deny that RH has done some good things for the Linux accessibility cause, but they need to incorporate this into there corporate policies as well.